Sperry

Question 0

Sample

Answer 0

. 11 ‘split brain’ patients, who had undergone the disconnection of of the cerebral hemispheres
. Due to them having epilepsy that couldn’t be controlled by medication

Question 1

Background & aim

Answer 1

. Investigate the effects of having the 2 hemispheres of the brain ‘disconnected’ to control for severe epilepsy

. And to describe different functions of the 2 hemispheres

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

. Visual tests:

• stimulus presented to 1 or both visual fields for 1/10th of a second
• so info only presented to 1 hemisphere only
• hands and objects were kept out of sight
• P’s asked to name / identify the word / picture

. Tactile tests:

• object presented to either left or right hand
• different objects put in different hands
• one hand touched or put into position

Question 3

Results

Answer 3

. When presented with image in 1/2 of VF and then presented with same image in other 1/2 of VF, they responded if they have never seen image before
. Participants were unable to give a description of an image that was presented to the left side of the visual field
. If 2 symbols were presented simultaneously, one either side of visual field and the participant was required to draw with their left hand what they had seen, they would draw the left visual field symbol. HOWEVER, if they were required to say what they had just drawn, the participant would say by name the right visual field symbol
. Objects put in participants hands for identification could be described if in right hand, but could not not described if in left hand

Question 4

Conclusions & implications

Answer 4

. Different areas of the brain specialise on different tasks
. Left hemisphere responsible for language
. Right hemisphere is superior in drawing spatial relationships